Missing Piece
by Wings of Reparation
Summary: A lost fragment that's been gone for years. Time to put it back where it belongs...
1. Briefing and Insertion

"All right, everyone, gather around. It's time for the briefing."

Ravi Stennin, Kishor Draggarh, Sig Asgrimur, Elaine Karina, and Viluke Enaera all huddled around their commanding officer, Milla Hope.

"Here's the situation: For the past few weeks, there have been a series of multiple homicides. All of the victims were young women in their twenties who attended the same university. Each girl disappeared for approximately one week before later reappearing in dismembered pieces inside cardboard boxes..."

"Sick fuck..." Viluke muttered underneath her breath. Sig heard her, but said nothing of it, only returning his attention back to Milla.

"We were unable to list any possible suspects...until now."

Milla pulled out a photo of a man from her pocket. He was paler than the average person and had brown eyes and a shaved head. The only thing ruining the perfectly good photo was the creepy smile on his face.

"This is Andou Faralon, our main target. We found traces of his DNA on the latest body, so now we're going in after him. With the week already coming to a close, there's no time for subtlety: You're going in_ unannounced_."

She turned to the board behind her. On it was a blueprint sketch detailing the inside of a two-story house.

"We believe that Ria Cline, the latest girl reported missing from the same college, is being held in the basement level of the house. However, that's also where we'll be expecting Faralon to be. We presume that he is not armed; we ran a background check on the guy and found no record of him ever purchasing a firearm. Nevertheless, stay on your toes. We don't know what this guy is capable of..."

"Does anyone else live with him?" Ravi Stennin asked, speaking up.

"His mother, Gleda Faralon. We've no reason to believe she's involved, but as procedure states, all must be restrained: Perp or not." Milla answered his question to which Ravi nodded his head.

"Guys...Seconds may be the difference between life and death for Ria Cline. Study the layout, grab your gear, and get moving."

Milla crossed her arms and nodded her head.

"Dismissed!"

* * *

><p>In the armory, the guys were suiting up for their mission. Ravi was the first to finish as he put his helmet on, which differed from the rest, signifying his position as leader. He walked over to the table which had the blueprint Milla had shown them in the briefing room.<p>

_There are two points of entry...both of which are located in the backyard of the house. That makes our decision making a bit more flexible._

"Going over the layout, boss?"

Looking to his right, he saw Kishor standing beside him.

"Yeah." Ravi answered him, looking back at the schematics. "The two access points available are both located in the backyard where we'll be inserted. Convenient for us since we don't have to stick to one choice upon arrival."

"If so, then I have an idea."

Ravi and Kishor looked behind them at Sig who was staring at his helmet in his hands.

"It's assumed that only one man and an old lady lives there. So can't we just divide the team so we can clear the house quicker?" Sig suggested.

"A good idea, but it's risky. Remember that we have to expect the unexpected. I'm also going to assume that Faralon has an unregistered gun." Ravi explained.

"That does little to change the situation."

The three turned to the entrance where Viluke and Elaine were standing. Viluke had a green-painted shotgun strung behind her back while Elaine held a pepper-ball gun. Elaine walked toward the others while Viluke followed behind her.

"Even if he did own an illegal firearm, I doubt his accuracy matches that of any our sniper teams."

She walked over to the table and scanned the map over once.

"If you let Enaera and I take the door that leads into the garage and basement floor of the house, we'll take care of Andou Faralon and secure Ria Cline...or what's left of her. Of course, the final decision is yours since you're our leader."

There was a moment of silence as Ravi rubbed his chin in contemplation. Everyone looked at him patiently, awaiting his answer.

"All right, we'll do it." Ravi nodded his head. "When we get there, we'll divide and conquer. Enaera and Karina will take the door into the garage and basement while Draggarh, Asgrimur, and I clear the first and second floors through the backdoor leading into the kitchen."

"Enaera suggested we use strictly less-lethal weapons for this mission." Elaine stated, pointing her thumb at the girl without looking back.

Everyone except Elaine turned to Viluke who had been quiet the whole time.

"That's surprising." Kishor said. "No offense, Enaera."

"None taken." Viluke replied, looking the other way.

"I'm not against it. We leave at 1800 hours. Until then, you're free. Be ready." Ravi announced before leaving.

The others followed suit and only Sig and Viluke remained. Finally, Sig stood up from his seat, putting on his helmet and walked by Viluke. He stopped when they had their backs to each other. Turning around, he placed his hand on her shoulder giving her a light pat.

"I'm proud of you."

A blush stained her cheeks as she shook her head.

"Just get out of here, will ya? Jeez..."

Sig just chuckled and walked out.

* * *

><p>The city was quiet under the cover of night, aside from the sounds of cricket and the small gusts of wind that passed by every few minutes. In the backyard of a house, several figures climbed over the fence. It was Ravi and the others.<p>

"TOC, this is Team Eleven-Seven. We've arrived at the house, over." Ravi spoke to the radio attached to his vest.

_"Copy. Proceed as planned."_ The voice from the radio responded.

"Roger that."

Ravi turned to his team.

"You all know what to do. Let's move."

Everyone nodded their heads. Ravi, Sig, and Kishor moved to the door on the back-porch while Elaine and Viluke headed to the door near the large garage entrance.

Elaine was already getting to work on the door with her lock-pick. A few seconds later, a clicking sound told them it was unlocked now. Switching back to her pepper-ball gun, she looked to Viluke who remained ready with her shotgun.

"This is it. Into the den of a serial killer."

She took a few steps back, letting Viluke move in front of her. Elaine placed one hand on Viluke's shoulder and she in turn grasped the doorknob.

Elaine squeezed Viluke's shoulder which prompted Viluke to grin and slowly turn the knob.

"Let's do this."

* * *

><p>How does this relate to Lucky Star? You'll find out next chapter. Until then, I'll see you next time.<p> 


	2. Infiltration and Discovery

Ravi fiddled with his MP5 to pass the time while Kishor worked on the locked door with his lock pick. Sig kept an eye on the rear, making sure nobody got the jump on them. Even though the possibility of an ambush was unlikely, it did not mean it was impossible.

"Damn."

Kishor grunted out of frustration, looking at Ravi and sighed in defeat.

"Sorry, boss. Karina makes it look easy."

"She does." Ravi nodded his head in agreement. "Asgrimur, swap with Draggarh."

"Copy, switching."

In one swift movement, the two changed positions with each other with Sig picking the lock now. Ravi's radio attached to his vest began to crackle to life as a voice spoke.

_"Team lead, this is AVEX reporting: Gleda Faralon spotted on the second floor, right side window."_

"Status?"

_"Going to sleep, sir."_

"Keep me updated on her movements."

_"Yes, sir."_

_**Click!**_

Ravi looked at Sig who stood up and switched back to his M4 rifle.

"We're good to go." He simply said.

_"_All right, open and clear on my mark_._"

Sig and Kishor backed up against the wall on both sides of the door. Ravi knelt down crouching nearby Sig, gun ready on the door in case there were any surprises behind it.

"Mark!"

Kishor opened the door and Sig rushed through the doorway with Kishor behind him. Ravi moved in last, entering the kitchen space of the house. The two had one hand raised to signify it was clear. Closing the door behind him, Ravi took notice of music playing nearby. At least they still had the element of surprise.

"Awfully loud in this house for only two people." Kishor stated.

"Friends over?" Sig assumed.

"I was thinking more along the lines of accomplices than friends..." Kishor replied.

"Stack up on the next door. Asgrimur, check under it." Ravi ordered, cutting the small conversation short.

"Bringing out the snake cam."

Ravi closed the door behind him as he joined up with the two at the next door where the muffled music was coming from. Sig took out a small device with a fiberscope attached to it. Poking the lens end underneath the door, the hand held tool began to light up, revealing what was on the other side.

"Four contacts." Sig reported.

"Armed?" Ravi asked.

"Can't tell." Sig shrugged his arms.

The music that was playing began to die down as the sound of people talking could be heard.

"Before we go barging in, let's record the conversation. Something useful might come out of it..."

* * *

><p>Four men were playing a game of poker around a table.<p>

"I don't like the idea of staying here any more." One man asked, shifting his eyes around the room.

"Relax, Reynold." Another man told 'Reynold', shaking his head at his paranoid friend. " You don't hear the police knocking on the front doorstep, do ya?"

"No...but they're bound to."

"Ah, quit your worrying, mate. It's your turn, by the way; call or fold."

Reynolds took a slight peek under his card and the disappointment showed on his face as he sighed and pushed the cards forward, folding out for the round.

"Hey, you guys remember that woman we nabbed a few years back?"

The other three nodded their heads at Reynold.

"Guess what? She's still alive."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I kid you not." Reynold shook his head. "Even after all these years, she still looks the same as she did the day we took her. Remind me why we raided that house again? I remember not getting much of anything out of that house."

"Eh, call it a bad choice on our part. All we saw in there was a bunch of cartoon books and movies." Someone else answered.

"Well, we didn't get anything money-wise out of it, but we screwed some baby's life over by taking away their mother."

"Oh yeah! I remembered hearing a baby crying, but that bitch was putting on a hell of a struggle to escape."

Reynold sighed. "Man, we are some fucked up individuals."

"You realized that just now after all this time with us, Reynold?"

_**Boom!**_

"What the fuck!"

They all jumped up out of their seats, pulling out their concealed handguns, aiming them at the newly blown doorway.

But the only thing they saw come out of the doorway was a blinding flash of light.

"Son of a bitch! My eyes!"

* * *

><p>"Move in! Go! Go! Go!"<p>

Ravi, Sig, and Kishor stormed into the room quickly and aimed their weapons at the blinded perps.

"Police, drops your weapons and hit the floor!" Kishor shouted.

"Put your hands up, do it now!" Sig followed immediately after.

"Fuck you, cops!" One of the men shouted, still continuing to rub his eyes with his sleeve.

"Last chance to drop the guns or we'll make you drop them!" Ravi told them, finger on the trigger.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try, asshole!"

"Fine! Have it your way!"

The three pulled out their tasers and proceeded to shock the men, making them cry out in pain from the electrocution. In seconds, they all released their weapons, letting them hit the ground.

"Cuff these clowns, I got you covered." Ravi instructed Sig and Kishor, switching back to his MP5 and keeping the gun traced on the subdued suspects.

The two quickly moved to restrain the men with their plastic handcuffs. Once they were all secured, Ravi decided to report in to HQ.

"TOC, this Team Eleven-Seven. We have four restrained suspects in possession of illegal firearms and apparently accomplices of the main target, over."

_"Acknowledged, we'll be ready for them. Proceed on with the mission."_

"Understood, over and out."

_"Team Lead, this is AVEX reporting: Gleda Faralon just woke up and is exiting her bedroom."_

"Does she have a weapon?" He asked.

_"A broom, sir."_

Kishor snickered. "Typical old lady."

Ravi nodded his head over to the stairway leading upstairs. "Asgrimur, Draggarh, go restrain her."

"Roger that. Draggarh, you lead." Sig said.

"All right. On me."

The two went up the flight of stairs, leaving Ravi with the four men. Swinging his submachine gun to his side, he collected the weapons on the ground, examining them closely.

"You just don't get these kinds of weapons in a regular gun shop..." He said, looking at the group who were quiet...mostly because Sig and Kishor wrapped cloth around their mouth to stop them from yapping.

Ravi piled the illegal sidearms on the table where a poker game had been going on.

"You guys are looking at maybe ten years max for possessing an unregistered gun and maybe more for aiding a serial killer." He chuckled darkly, crossing his arms as he sat down in a chair. "Kiss your youth goodbye."

Standing back up, he walked over to one particular man and pulled down the cloth covering his mouth.

"Reynold, right?"

The man said nothing.

"You can try the tough guy act, but it won't last. Because I have ways of getting the info I need...one way or another."

Ravi helped the man up to his feet and moved him to sit down at the table. Kishor and Sig came down with a restrained old lady with Sig pushing her forward. They took notice of what their leader was doing and the way his posture changed.

"Oh shit, he's in interrogation mode..." Kishor muttered.

"I almost feel bad for the guy..." Sig said.

Putting Gleda alongside the others, they walked over to the table to stand by for any assistance that their leader would need from them.

"Now, I'm just doing my job here. I need you to work with me. If you cooperate with me, I can speak on your behalf to see if we can reduce your sentence."

"And if I don't?"

A devilish grin plastered on Ravi's face.

"You really want to know?" He asked.

Reynold contemplated this for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"Good. Then let's begin."

Ravi leaned forward onto the table, folding his hands neatly as he stared right back into Reynold's eyes with his intense stare. Needless to say that Reynold became a little unnerved. It was like he was gazing into his soul.

"Now, let's start with something simple; Your conversation, to be more precise."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Reynolds said, shaking his head.

"Oh, really?"

Sig pulled out a recorder and played the exact same conversation that had happened a few minutes ago prior to their intrusion. Reynold jumped up in surprise when Ravi slammed his fist hard on the table.

"You've got balls to try and lie to my face, but that won't mean shit when you're in prison for twenty plus years for vandalism, theft, and kidnapping! Be straight with me, Reynold! Or I'll tell everyone in the prison you are going to that you're a kiddie fiddler! How long do you think you'll last in there, huh?"

Reynold widened his eyes in fear. Instantly, he gave up his defiant attitude.

"...We've done several robberies in the past before, all in different cities. We were always on the move, so we never really got caught."

"So how did you become involved with Andou Faralon?"

"We were always friends with the guy. We gave him the means to enter the school campus undetected and in return, he allowed us to use his place as a hideout whenever we came by."

"Another girl was recently kidnapped who goes by the name of Ria Cline. Is she still alive?"

There was no words that needed to be said as Ravi already picked up the answer through the silence.

"Moving on, you mentioned another person who you kidnapped years before. Can you give me a name?"

"I only know her first."

"Cough it up, then."

Reynold took a deep breath and then sighed before saying...

"**Kanata**."

Suddenly, Karina's voice popped up from Ravi's radio.

_"Lead, this is Karina. We've managed to secure Andou Faralon. We also found the remains of Ria Cline and have an unidentified female in need of medical attention."_

"All right, I'll be there in a few."

_"Roger that. Karina, out."_

Kishor placed the cloth piece back over Reynold's mouth again as Ravi stood up from the chair.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mister Reynold. I only have one last request to ask of you: Are you willing to testify against your friends and Faralon for their crimes? This is a yes or no answer."

Reynold nodded his head.

"Good." Ravi looked at Sig and Kishor. "Asgrimur, Draggarh, stay here with these people. I'm heading downstairs."

"Sir!"

Once they were sure Ravi was gone, Sig and Kishor chuckled, shaking their heads.

"It's amazing how he can change personalities so quickly..." Kishor said.

"A leader has to do what's necessary." Sig answered.

"Still...This 'Kanata' person...You don't think she's-?"

"She could be...We'll just have to see..."

* * *

><p>This could have been done better. Oh, well. There's always another time for a revision...<p> 


	3. Revelations

Outside the Faralon residence, several response vehicles were on the scene. EMTs carried out an unconscious woman on a stretcher into an ambulance while officers confined the arrested criminals into a police caravan. Ravi and his team were the last to step out of the house and were greeted by their commanding officer, Milla Hope, who greeted the gang with open arms and a proud smile on her face.

"Amazing work, Stennin. A job well done for your first mission. Though we were unable to save Ria Cline, we found another poor soul who had been held captive longer than any of his previous victims." She began. "I'm looking forward to the full report on paper. Best to head back to the station and get to work on it. There are several things that require my attention."

"Yes, Captain."

With that, Milla was off to speak with the other cops in area.

"All right, everybody." Ravi turned to face his teammates. "Let's head on home."

The five headed to their van where their driver, Seiko Niomiki, who was playing with a Rubik's cube. Looking up, he stuffed the puzzle back into his coat pocket before getting back into the driver's seat and starting up the car. Ravi and the others got inside the back and closed the door before the truck drove off.

All was quiet for a few minutes before Kishor stood up.

"Give a round of applause, ladies and gents, to our glorious leader. All hail Stennin!"

Silence reigned in as everyone stared at Ravi who kept a stoic face.

Then he sighed.

"Asshole."

Everyone immediately bellowed out in laughter. After their incessant cackling fits, conversations went about despite what they went through. Ravi spoke to Viluke and Elaine, wanting to know how they fared by themselves. That and also to add it to the report he was going to have to write. Sig and Kishor talked discreetly to each other about their theory.

"As I was saying before, I'm thinking we should check up on Miss Kanata once she's recovered. If my assumptions are correct then..." Sig said, staring up at the ceiling.

"It'll be the coincidence of the century if you ask me."

"I agree, but we'll have to confirm it first later. The paramedics examined the injures and said she wouldn't wake up for a couple of days."

"Damn that bastard...At least he'll be rotting in prison for a good couple of years."

"Hey, at least she's still alive. Unlike poor Ria Cline..."

"Yeah..." Kishor grimaced. "Just goes to show we can't save everybody."

"We can only do what we can."

The two looked in front of them to see Ravi standing there with a somber look on his face.

"Right." Sig nodded his head in agreement. Kishor did as well.

"I assume you guys are talking about Miss Kanata?"

"Yeah, actually." Kishor said. "In fact, if our assumptions are correct...well, it's like fate intervened."

"I'm having a hard time following..." Ravi admitted, confused.

"We think we know who her family is, but it's all a hypothesis right now." Sig explained, scratching his head slightly.

"Can I ask you something, Stennin?" Kishor asked.

"Sure, go ahead."

"Ever played video games?"

"I played it once with my son and daughter."

"Well, we play this MMO game on a computer."

"MMO?" Ravi asked. "Is that an acronym?"

"Yup." Sig nodded his head. "Short for massively multiplayer online. It allows us to play with people from far away."

"Anyways," Kishor started off again, diverting their attention back to him. "We've been playing with this girl called Konata for awhile now and a couple of her friends too."

"And you believe she's related to Miss Kanata somehow?"

The two nodded their heads and Ravi just shrugged his arms.

"Well, you're welcome to try and ask. It'll save the hospital time and effort to locate her family again."

"Did somebody say MMO?" Elaine asked, popping in on the conversation.

"You play, Karina?" Sig looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

"You bet!"

Ravi stepped away from the trio, figuring there was no need for him to be there anymore. He sat down alongside Viluke, who was staring in the direction of Elaine, Sig, and Kishor talking to each other. She laughed softly as he looked at her, wondering what was so funny.

"This feels like something out of an anime show..." She said.

"Who knows? Maybe we're in one right now."

The two chuckled, shaking their heads at the absurd idea before changing the subject.

* * *

><p>Miyuki Takara arrived at the Washinomiya Shrine, a place of many fond memories with her friends. She had woken up early to pray in complete serenity to the spirits here...and also a little bit of wishing as well. To her surprise, she saw a familiar face praying in front of the offering box.<p>

_Izumi? What's she doing here?_

Just as she began to approach the girl, she seemed to have finished and opened her eyes. When Konata turned to look at Miyuki, it was like she was staring at a completely different person. The blue haired girl widened her eyes for a moment, as if shocked being caught, but then quickly returned to a sorrowful expression. She had never seen Konata like this before. The Konata she knew was an eccentric, but happy and cheerful girl. The person she was staring at...seemed sad and lost.

"Oh, good morning, Miyuki. Didn't expect to see you here..." She said, managing a small smile, looking back at the building directly in front of them.

"Good morning, Izumi." Miyuki greeted the small girl in return. "I could say the same to you. Is something wrong?"

"Hm?" Konata blinked, momentarily confused, as she looked at Miyuki with a blank stare. "What?"

"Are you okay, Izumi? You're acting strange..." She asked, worry in her voice for her friend.

"Am I? Or are you so used to seeing my mask?"

Miyuki gasped, taken aback by Konata's sudden retort.

"I'm sorry, Miyuki." Konata quickly apologized, lowering her head in shame. "You didn't deserve that..."

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry..." Miyuki said. "I didn't mean to offend you..."

Silence created a heavy tension in the air before Konata spoke again.

"Hey...Let's sit down at that bench over there."

'O-okay..."

The two sat down, but the uneasiness was still there.

"Miyuki."

The pink haired girl jumped at Konata calling out her name.

"Yes, Konata?"

"Can I tell you something?" Konata twiddled with her thumbs, showing she was nervous. "It's something that I've been keeping inside me all these years...so...can you hear me out?"

Although Miyuki was still bewildered, she nodded her head.

"Of course, Izumi..." She said. "What did you want to tell me?"

"It's...about my mother..."

Konata took a deep breath and sighed, leaning back on the bench as she stared into the clear blue skies above them, putting her hands behind the back of her head. Her gaze was distant and contemplative.

"I told you guys before that she died, right?"

"Yes, you did..."

"Well, that wasn't the whole truth. You see...When I was a baby, my dad told me how a bunch of men broke into our house and took my mother with them. He tried to get her back, but they had beaten him up so bad that he was hospitalized for a few weeks from fractured bones. Before he became unconscious, the last thing he saw of mom was her desperately trying to escape them."

Miyuki was absolutely shocked at this information. To think all that happened to Konata's family...

"It's been so many years since she disappeared from my life...I never really got to bond with her like you do with your mother...So I'm a little envious of you and everybody else who has one."

Then Miyuki saw something that she thought she would never see...or want to: Konata crying. The tears were sliding down her cheeks, yet she didn't seemed fazed by the stream of water going down her cheeks. Konata sat back up right and cradled her face into her hands.

"I wanted to believe she was still out there...that maybe one day, she might come back and we can be one big happy family again..."

Miyuki moved closer to Konata and embraced her into a comforting hug which Konata returned. Miyuki's heart tore from the inside as Konata started sobbing loudly into her shirt.

"But that's not gonna happen, is it! She's gone! There's no way those cruel bastards would just let her live...They probably killed her! She's dead! Rotting away in god knows where! It isn't fair! I want her back! I want my mom back!"

It wasn't everyday Miyuki saw somebody so broken down. And it was Konata nonetheless! Hugging the girl tightly, this was all she could do for the poor girl now. She could answer questions about cultures, food, and trivial things, but something like this...she didn't know how to handle immediately

Minutes passed and eventually, Konata's crying managed to soften up. Finally, it seemed Konata wanted to be let go, so Miyuki released her gently.

"I...I..." Konata was at a loss of words.

"It's okay..." Miyuki told her, placing her hands on Konata's shoulder. "You don't have to say anything right now..."

A comfortable silence set in and Konata seemed more at peace with herself now than previously. Perhaps that's what Konata needed all this time: A shoulder to lean on. And Miyuki was the one available at the time.

"Sorry for dropping a drama bomb on you like that, Miyuki..." Konata laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Don't apologize...I'm here for you because you're my friend, Izumi."

Konata sheepishly turned away.

"Ha ha...I look like a mess...and I made your shirt wet too..."

"It's all right, Izumi. Besides, I didn't like this shirt anyway."

The two stared at each other for a moment before blowing out in an explosion of laughter. Konata's tears of sadness were now of mirth as she wiped them away. Once they were finished, Konata breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled brightly at Miyuki.

"Thank you, Miyuki. For everything."

"Do you want to come over to my house for a bit? I don't think you want to go home right now, do you?"

"Yeah...Well, let's get going then!" Konata shouted out, trying to get back into her regular personality.

"All right then, we're off." Miyuki nodded her head, standing up.

As the pair walked away from the shrine, Konata started blushing which made Miyuki tilt her head in confusion.

"Hey...Don't tell anybody about this okay?"

Miyuki giggled, causing Konata to further redden her cheeks.

"Your secret is safe with me."

* * *

><p>In a hospital room, a pale woman laid on a bed in a tranquil slumber. Despite being asleep, a small tear fell from one eye as she whispered one word...<p>

Or rather, one name.

"Konata..."

* * *

><p>Looks like some of the Lucky Star cast members finally made their debut appearance! Well, anyways, onto the next chapter!<p> 


	4. Realization

Sig Asgrimur and Kishor Draggarh sat patiently in their seats in a reception room alongside several other people. Out of their uniforms, they looked about as normal as any other person. The two stood up as soon as they were approached by a young brunette in a nurse uniform who greeted them with a friendly smile.

"Hello Sig, Kishor, I assume you guys are here to see Miss Kanata again?"

"You know it, Aysu." Kishor nodded. "Is she finally awake?"

"You're in luck. She just woke up this morning."

"Has the hospital found out who her family is?" Sig asked, crossing his arms.

"Unfortunately, not as of yet. It's a very long process since we can't always focus on one person and then the next." Aysu answered, sighing sadly.

"How is Miss Kanata, anyways? Is she all right? Like psychologically?" Kishor wondered, concerned that the woman's mentality might not be stable.

"She's fine, actually." Aysu said. "It's amazing, really. Usually, someone who goes through an experience like that, undergoes some sort of trauma or depression, but she shows no symptom of those. It's like...she has a purity that can never be corrupted or broken."

Kishor blinked a little at Aysu who started blushing once she realized what she said.

"Whoa...That's deep. You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Aysu?" He grinned at the girl.

"Can you take us to Miss Kanata?" Sig asked, breaking into the conversation before it strayed off its original purpose.

"Of course, Sig. Follow me."

The two followed the nurse into an elevator which was conveniently empty for them. After they all got inside, Aysu put in the floor numb and the door closed.

"I'm surprised Ravi allowed us to do this." Kishor said, looking at Sig. "Are you?"

"No." Sig shook his head. "The moment we met him at the training course, I knew we were in for a great boss. Although he's fairly new to the force, he has the ability to adapt quickly to a situation. If he keeps doing what he's doing, the station may start to take notice of him real quickly."

"Well, I'll miss the guy when he gets promoted." Kishor confessed.

"That's going to happen sooner or later. For now, let's enjoy the time we have under his command. I know he'll do everything he can to make sure we come out alive after every mission."

The elevator bell chimed as the doors slid opened and they exited. They walked down the long hallway until they finally stopped at one particular room.

"Thank you for your time, Aysu." Sig nodded his head at the girl. "You can go now."

Aysu bowed her head slightly before leaving. Once she was out of sight, Kishor immediately nudged Sig in the elbow.

"Dude, Aysu is totally into you."

Sig stared blankly at Kishor.

"Where did that come from?"

"Every time you weren't around when we came by, she always asked me questions like if you were single or if you were interested in anybody right now." Kishor grinned, leaning on Sig's shoulder. "I just don't know how you do it, man. You have like some sort of pheromone on you that just makes girls attracted to you."

"I never asked for that." Sig frowned, groaning.

"If I could, I would take the burden off you, but I can't." Kishor chuckled. "Don't worry, man, I got your back. I know you're not interested in relationships right now. I already told Aysu that."

"Thanks, Kishor."

"That's what best buds are for, man."

Breaking away from Kishor, Sig opened the door and entered the room with Kishor behind him.

"Miss Kanata?"

Sitting on the bed, staring at the television perched on the ceiling corner was a short looking woman with a very light skin color and big emerald green eyes. Slowly, she turned towards the direction of the two of them.

"How are you feeling?" Sig asked as Kishor sat himself down on seat already.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking." She replied with a gentle smile on her face. "But...who are you?"

"I'm Sig Asgrimur and that's Kishor Draggarh over there." Sig introduced himself. When Kishor heard his name, he did a small wave to indicate that was him. "We're from the police department and we were also the ones that rescued you from the Faralon residence where you were held captive by a serial killer..."

"Ah...I see...Thank you for saving me..."

"It's our job, Ma'am." Sig waved off the praise. "If you don't mind, we'd like you to answer some questions, if you think you're up to it, Miss Kanata?"

"Just be gentle with me, please."

"Don't worry, this isn't an interrogation. We just want to help you." Kishor assured Kanata. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here, no?"

"Now...Let's begin with something that has been chewing me up from the inside ever since we first saw you: Are you related to Konata Izumi by any chance?"

That sparked a huge reaction from Kanata as she gasped loudly and widened her eyes in complete shock. That confirmed everything for Sig and Kishor.

"You know my daughter?" She asked.

"Please calm down, Miss Kanata." Sig urged her softly. "I can't continue until you do."

Recomposing herself, she breathed in and out to steady her nerves. Though they couldn't blame her for her sudden excitement at the mention of her daughter. They probably haven't seen each other in years so she was probably anxious.

"Okay...I'm ready now. Sorry." She said, looking back at Sig. "Go ahead."

"To answer your question, yes, we do know your daughter. During our free time, Kishor and I like to play some online video games and we just happened to be friends with her." Sig explained. "When a conversation led to you, she said that her mother was gone."

"We didn't know whether she meant dead or kidnapped, but now that we've found you, we now know that you were kidnapped." Kishor added.

"How...is she doing?" Kanata asked after taking in this information in.

"We only know what's she's told us so far. She's at her final year in high school and just hangs out with her friends a lot, some we know, and some we don't." Sig told her, shrugging his arms.

Kanata remained quiet, seemingly satisfied. Deciding to continue on, Sig asked her another question.

"Next question: Where did you originally live before you were taken away?"

"Kasukabe, Saitama."

It went quiet for a good five minutes before Kishor whistled in amazement.

"Oh my god, you're a long way from home!" He exclaimed, bolting up from his chair. "Somebody up above was definitely watching over you."

"Okay, I think that's all my questions for now, which wasn't much. Thank you for answering them, Miss Kanata." Sig said, deciding to wrap up the questioning. "I imagine you have a lot to do once you're able to stand up on your feet. We'll see you in a few days. Get better soon, okay?"

"I will."

Sig nodded his head before walking out. Kishor stood up on his feet and Kanata turned to stare at him.

"You've been gone nearly all her life, Miss Kanata."

He gave her a thumbs up and a big grin.

"It's going to be one hell of a reunion."

* * *

><p>Yui Narumi walked the streets of Kasukabe, on her regular beat. She was a regular face to the people on her patrol and being the friendly police officer she was, she always gave a smile and wave to those who would give it. Despite being a part of the law force, she would never do what those SAT officers did everyday: going after serial killers, stopping drug transactions, defusing bombs for god sakes!<p>

_Boy, I sure am glad not a lot of bad things happen around here. I don't think I really need to carry my gun! Except I look cool wearing it!_

Without warning, an announcement went over her radio.

_"All units, an armed robbery in progress at the Tsukuba Bank. Any officers in the vicinity identify."_

That bank wasn't too far away. She could reach it within a few minutes.

_Oh darn, I just jinxed myself!  
><em>

"Traffic officer Narumi reporting. I'm on my way there, over and out."

She burst into a sprint down the sidewalk.

_Oh man, this isn't the same as the range: I'm shooting people, not targets. And worst of all, they shoot back!_

Turning around the corner, she saw further down, several cars parked in front of a bank with many men storming into the building.

_Well, I was always called Sharpshooter Yui back at the station. Let's see if I can live up to that reputation._

She pulled out her sidearm and switched the safety off.

_All right, let's go._

* * *

><p>Yeah, I'm totally killing time by doing this...<p> 


	5. First Call, First Serve

Screams of terror and fear erupted from the inside of the bank as citizens burst out of the front entrance only to be mercilessly gunned down from behind by a hail of bullets. They all dropped to the floor dead, like lambs to the slaughter and Yui was absolutely horrified. She froze in her tracks, just staring a the dead bodies with her jaw wide open in pure shock. Sure, she had seen it in movies where people get killed, but never did she expect to see it in a real life situation.

"If you all don't want to end up like those poor sons of bitches, I suggest you stay right where you are on the fucking floor! We didn't want to kill anybody, but you left us no choice! Now shut up or you'll be joining them!" A loud voice commanded, coming from the bank, silencing the cries that reacted to the brutal killing of innocent lives.

Yui was silent, contemplating her next plan of action. This was serious. People's lives were at stake here, making the situation much more dangerous than it already was. Trying the front door was just asking to join the corpses on the pavement, not to mention triggering the murder of more civilians as well.

_There's got to be another way in around the back..._

Moving through a small alleyway along the side of the building, she was about to round a corner, but stopped at the end, backing up against the wall. Peeking out, she saw that the lot was clear. Continuing on, she eventually found a back door, but it was locked.

_Shoot, I was hoping it wasn't._

Stepping away from the door, she looked up at the building. There had to be another way to get inside...

_Ah! Up there!_

She took notice of an open window on the second floor building of the bank. Conveniently, there was a pipeline that ran along down the wall nearby it. Holstering her pistol, she climbed the metal tube. Police sirens could be heard in the distance, but that didn't stop her now. There were people counting on her to save them and she wouln't let them down!

Reaching the opened frame hole, she crawled right through. She found herself in what looked to be a meeting room. There was a door on her left at the far end. No doubt this floor would be overlooking the first which meant she was in for an intense firefight. As soon as she got close to the door, she saw the knob begin to turn. Paralyzed out of fear, she acted on instincts, hiding behind the door as it opened.

Slowly reaching for her pistol in her holster, the two men walked into the room.

"Ah, that window's open." One of them said.

"Well, go shut it."

The other sighed, lowering his gun, holding it in one hand. Strolling casually over to the window, he was about to close it, but took notice of something.

"Hey, this thing is placed right near a pipeline. If someone was smart enough, they could climb it and get inside the bank without being seen. That would be pretty sneaky if a cop did it, don't you think?"

No reply came.

"You listening to me, man? Or are you just ignoring what I'm saying?"

A few minutes passed and the guy grunted in agitation.

"Okay, asshole, what the hell is your-"

When he turned around, he saw his partner being used as a human shield by a female officer with a gun pointed straight at him.

_**Bang!**_

The bullet pierced right through his skull as the man flew back like a rag doll, soaring right out the window.

"Sorry. I can't allow you to live either."

Another shot went off and Yui backed away from the body as it dropped to the floor with a thud. She really just wanted to throw up on the floor right now. Never had she thought in her career as an officer would she have to kill somebody. Yet she just did at this very moment without a single hesitation in her mind until after the deed was done. It was like she was no different from these criminals...

"Who the hell fired!"

"I don't know!"

"Well, go check it out dumbass! Bring a few guys with you!"

Hearing the shouting, Yui shook her head, regaining her resolve.

_No...Those bastards had the choice of letting those civilians run away instead of killing them. I'm nothing like these crooks._

She took possession of the dead man's submachine gun, which also had an attached silencer fitted to the barrel, and his ammo pouches since he no longer needed it. Glancing outside, there was nobody in sight. Going right down the corridor, footstep were approaching from the stairwell nearby. She moved into the hallway on her right which was surprisingly dim, though it would work to her advantage. Hiding behind a dispenser, she waited patiently, checking her gun to make sure it was ready.

_Five targets..._ She counted the number of armed robbers that passed by her, unaware of her presence. _Five bodies..._

Once they all passed by her position, Yui jumped out. Despite their efforts to turn and blast the hell out of her, Yui had the quicker trigger. She took them out with no effort thanks to her amazing accuracy as 'Sharpshooter Yui', but the adrenaline rush helped too.

Going down the flight of stairs, she quickly ducked underneath a table that had been pushed over to be used as cover. Poking her head out from the flipped over furtniture, she saw a man at the front entrance geared with a light machine gun and plenty of ammo strapped on him to last him a good couple of hours. A regular person wouldn't be able to handle that much weight unless trained by the military, but this guy was really muscular, so he could obviously handle the mass.

"This is the police! We have the bank surrounded! Come out with your hands up!"

"Not a fucking chance, coppers! In case you haven't noticed, we have hostages and lots of them! You try anything, I'll kill the ones we have here and the ones we put in the vault below! You won't be able to save them! Their deaths will be on your head!"

It looks like he was the loud mouth that had been shouting before.

"This doesn't have to end in bloodshed! Put down your gun and we can talk this out!"

"Too late for that, motherfucker!"

Looking around, she noticed that the man was alone. As much as she wanted to put a bullet through his head, that would only result in the death of the people down in the vault once his goons figured out something was wrong.

_I've got to save the ones downstairs first. They're priority one right now._

Glancing at the men and women who kept their heads down on the floor, she saw a little girl, no older than ten years old, look up and their eyes met. The child widened her eyes with tears running down her cheeks. Yui placed a single finger over her own mouth, telling the girl non-verbally to stay quiet, yet gave her a small smile of assurance that everything would be okay. The girl slowly nodded her head. She was a smart one.

It was not that hard to move around the main lobby due to many objects toppled over which allowed Yui to move from place to place quickly and easily. The sounds of her footsteps fell on deaf ears due to the siren blaring of police and ambulances parked outside.

_This is probably live all over the news. The biggest story this town has had in years._

Finding an elevator, she pressed a button and walked inside when the doors slid open. She reloaded her weapon as the ride went down.

_I just hope I live to see the end of it..._

* * *

><p>Check out the "exciting" conclusion next chapter for Yui Narumi, traffic cop extraordinaire! Because I'm too lazy to finish it right now. Later!<p> 


	6. Code Four

"Wake up..."

Yui groaned loudly as she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the face of a young boy hovering over her, staring at her curiously. He was a peculiar looking child because his skin was as pale as a ghost and that his hair and eyes were pure white and almost seemed to glow a little. And also the fact that he had wings on his backs made Yui believe he was an angel. Even though he looked so young, something in his eyes told her that he was more than meets the eye.

The boy stepped back and allowed her to get up on her feet. Immediately upon standing up, Yui clutched her chest in pain, feeling as if she was being stabbed to death. Crying out in agony, she fell back down to the ground on her knees, holding her own body tightly.

"I see..." She heard the boy speak, before feeling a hand touch her shoulder.

Instantly, the unbearable ache in her chest was gone. Wheezing loudly, Yui was glad it was gone. She never wanted to experience that feeling ever again.

"You must have died recently..."

She turned to the child. "What?"

"When people die, they enter their own spiritual zone, but it seems you've entered mine...I wonder why?"

"You're telling me...I'm dead?" She asked in disbelief, shock numbing her body.

His eyes flashed blue for a second before returning to their normal ivory color.

"You were going down an elevator to stop a bunch of criminals from killing people. When the doors opened, a dozen men were standing idly by outside of the vault entrance when they saw you. I'm sure you know what happened next..."

What he said triggered the memories. She remembered waiting in an elevator and when the doors slid open, all she saw were guns aimed at her and then darkness. Yui felt tears start to come out of her eyes. She was _dead_. She failed as a police officer and probably resulted in the deaths of many innocent lives too. Their lives were on her head. And it was all her fault!

"Dammit!" She shouted, slamming her fists into the blank white ground beneath her.

"Don't be so quick to shed tears now, Yui Narumi...You should consider yourself lucky to have entered my domain because I am no ordinary soul..."

The boy released his hand from her shoulder and stood in front of her. An innocent smile graced his face.

"Although I can never be given a second chance myself at redemption, I can give it to those who enter my spiritual plane. You must be very special, I'm sure..."

He clapped his hands together. Yui started to feel sleepy all of a sudden. Her visions were getting blurry by the second.

"Do me a favor, will ya?"

The last thing she saw was a peace sign.

"Make it count."

* * *

><p>Yui opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. She was back in the elevator. She was so confused now.<p>

_Did that really just happen?_ She wondered. _Wait...what's around my neck?_

Looking down at herself, she saw a pendant in the shape of a cross. There were words inscribed onto it: **Don't screw up**. Although she didn't want to believe in the paranormal, the odds were stacked against her. Nevertheless, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

_Thank you...whoever you are..._

Noticing the floor reader, she saw that the ride was coming to an end. Reloading her gun and pulling the suppressor off, she aimed her gun at the door, ready to charge out. Second chances come few and far she wasn't going to waste this one.

_**Ding!**_

Yui literally flew right out of the room and it was just like her memory. A dozen men standing right out the vault entrance. However, just as they began to turn, time just seemed to slow down all around her. Then an image of the little kid from before flashed into her mind with the boy holding up a peace sign and winking.

**Make it count**_._ His voice echoed in her head.

She fired, shooting each and every one of the robbers in the head. Then time returned to normal and they all dropped to the floor, bleeding from the forehead. Yui blinked at what just happened. She always saw this sort of thing happen in shooting games, but never in real life! Still, the deed was done and her life was saved.

"Who's there? Somebody help me!" A voice cried out from the inside of the vault.

"Shut up, idiot! Do you want to die?" A more feminine voice responded.

Cautiously moving into the vault, she saw a woman holding a blindfolded man hostage with a pistol aimed at his head. Other civilians remained tied up around the vault, all blindfolded and muffled, except for the one being used as a human shield.

"Stay right where you are, cop! You get any closer, I'll blow this fucker's brains out!" She shouted, armed wrapped tightly around his neck. "How the hell did you get in here without being seen?"

"Your buddies are dead outside and upstairs. It's only you. Why don't you just drop the gun and let the poor man go?" Yui suggested. Truth be told, she was hesitating pulling the trigger right now. Why now when she's killed so many of this woman's accomplices?

"Like hell I will! You think I'm just going to drop my gun after going this far? I've already buried myself into a grave the minute I joined these fools in this stupid heist!"

Yui saw for a brief moment a small amount of doubt in the woman's eyes. Maybe she could talk some sense into this person. Her gun would be the last resort if her persuasion failed.

"What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you!"

"Because you're worth it to ask!"

The woman gasped a little and she saw doubt resurface again. Now was her chance to lay on the pressure.

"You're not like these crooks. You're different! I can see it in your eyes! Don't just be another nameless criminal to me like your dead pals. Tell me your name."

"I'm...Calista..." She hesitantly answered. "Calista Mae."

_Good. Now I'm getting somewhere... _Yui thought, feeling satisfied at her small progression.

"Calista, huh? My name's Yui Narumi."

Yui purposely let the silence sink in before choosing her next choice of words.

"You have anybody in your life you care about, Calista? A loved one or a family?" Yui asked, shifting the conversation away from the situation in an attempt to draw out some sort of weakness, as cruel as it sounded.

"I...I have a daughter...Her name's Iyka..."

"Beautiful name." Yui said, smiling at Calista, but then it quickly disappeared. "But how tragic..."

"Huh?" Calista blinked, staring at Yui blankly.

"This just makes it all the more harder on me!" Yui shouted. "How do you think I feel that I'm going to send a young child to the orphanage because her mother made a poor choice doing the wrong thing? You think it's anymore easier being a cop than a criminal!"

Yui caught the withdrawal in Calista's eyes now. She probably hadn't even contemplated it that far. She had to keep pressing the mental attack and force her to submit!

"Look at what you're doing. Look at what you're about to make me do! If you pull that trigger, I'm going to make your child parent-less! How do you think Iyka will go on in life knowing her mother fucked up by robbing a bank! How do you think I'll feel when I see your child one day? Oh, right! I_ killed_ her mother! You think I won't feel nothing doing this? Well, you're wrong!"

Calista's hands were shaking, and with it, her resistance.

"But you know what? You've always had a choice. You're still knee deep in trouble, but you can still live! Not just for yourself, but for your daughter as well! All you have to do...is just drop the gun."

Yui even lowered her own gun to make the point stronger. Even if it meant risking her own life in the process. It was a gamble, but she could get something so much better out of it.

"That's all you have to do..." Yui said "Now...make your choice, Calista..."

The room went silent. Minutes that seemed like hours passed and the tension in the room was high.

_**Thud!**_

Yui smiled at Calista who pushed the hostage away and held her hands up. Dropping her own gun, she approached Calista with a pair of cuffs. Restraining the woman, she gave Calista a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you for doing the right thing..."

A voice began to pop up from the radio attached to Calista's waist.

_"Hey, Calista, how are you and the boys doing down there?"_

Yui took the radio and held it to Calista's ear, nodding her head without a word.

"Everything's fine, boss." Calista lied, but it's not like the man could tell.

_"Good. Now, I know we're not getting out of this alive, but I'll be damned if I let these fucking cops win this fight. Kill all the people down there."_

"All right."

_"See you in hell, Calista."_

Pulling the radio away, Yui stood up and pulled out of her pistol.

"I'll make damn sure to reduce your sentence, Calista." Yui assured the restricted woman. "You can count on me..."

Just as she was about to walk out of the vault, she heard Calista call out her name.

"Yui!"

"Yeah?" She asked, turning her head.

"...I always told my little girl that there was never any good in the world." Calista chuckled. "I guess I was wrong..."

Yui smiled and just nodded her head before leaving.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Click!<strong>_

"Oh shit..."

Yui held her handgun at point-blank range at the back side of the man's head. He had been too focused staring outside to have noticed her walk up to him from behind.

"It's over, you son of a bitch." She spat out venomously. She may have forgiven Calista, but this guy deserved no mercy. He was a typical criminal with no conscious.

The police officers from outside moved in, restraining the man and took him away. The others helped relieved the civilians from the nightmare that they had been unfortunately been a part of. Yui sighed and sat down on a counter since most of the chairs were broken. Adrenaline was gone and fatigue hit her body like a hammer hitting a nail. Suddenly, she saw a high ranking officer walk through the entrance and Yui stood at attention when he made his way to her.

"Traffic officer Yui Narumi, correct?"

"Yes, that's me, sir." She said, saluting the higher rank.

"You were the first one in to call in to handle the situation. Nobody else came after you responded to the call which means that I'm correct in saying you single-handedly stopped this armed robbery before it got any more bloodier..."

"Yes." Yui nodded her head.

The man laughed heartily and patted her on the shoulder.

"A job well done!" He congratulated her with a big smile on his face. "I'm offering you a chance at a promotion, Officer Narumi. What do you say?"

"With all due respect, I prefer where I am right now, sir." She told him honestly.

"It's not every day you see somebody turn down a promotion. Then again, you probably don't want to do the paperwork for this either too so I think I understand! Ha ha!" He nodded his head. "Still, I will honor your request. Rest easy now, Officer Narumi. We'll take it from here."

Saluting him one last time, Yui was quick to walk out of the building.

_Man, what a day..._

Yui pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number.

_"Hello? Yui, is that you?"_

"You wanna go to a bar tonight, Nanako? I feel like getting totally wasted right now."

_"W-what? Where did this come from!"_

* * *

><p>Not the way I originally planned it, but this works...I think? So concludes Yui's shining moment.<p>

Hm? All that paranormal stuff and Yui getting slow-mo?

I did it for the shits and giggles.

Anyways, this also opens up to Yui having her own series. If you want that to happen, let me know!

Next chapter will get right back on track with the real storyline!


	7. Going Where?

"Finally! A break away from the city! Just what we needed!" Elaine exclaimed as she laid down on the grass, looking up at the starry night sky.

"I agree. There's nothing more relaxing for our line of work than the great outdoors of the countryside." Sig said, who was drawing something in his sketch pad.

"You know what would be even more relaxing? Playing a children's card game."

"Draggarh, have you been watching Yu-Gi-Oh again?" Viluke asked, staring at Kishor who pulled out a deck of cards from his coat pocket.

"Actually, he's been watching a parody version of it on YouTube though it's spoken in English..." Sig answered Viluke.

"Wait, so then how does he know what they're saying?" She asked, confused.

"They recently installed a translator into videos that allows languages to be rewritten and understandable in captions..." Sig explained, but then sighed shortly after. "But it's still a work in progress..."

"So who wants to shout out what they do and make over-exaggerated poses when playing?" Kishor asked, jumping up to his feet.

Sig, Viluke, and Elaine all looked at each other then at Kishor.

"No." They replied curtly.

"You guys are messed up!" Kishor frowned as the three laughed at him.

Kanata, who sat further away from the group, giggled quietly herself. Returning her gaze up to the clear sky full of shining stars, her smile faded away.

_It's...really been that long, huh?_

Months have passed since she awoke in the hospital and most of it was spent reintegrating into society and also rebuilding back her life. Since she was presumed dead for many years now, Kanata had to update her records and physical status for the hospitals. Of course, she was also the surviving victim of a serial killer and her kidnappers who tore her away from her family. Justice needed to be served for what they did to her.

The court system required that she stayed in the city for the time being, seeing as how she was an important piece in convicting the criminals. The government paid for her living quarters which was a small apartment with nothing fancy and a small amount of money to purchase food and other basic necessity. Enough to survive before the trials.

But she couldn't have gotten through these days alone. No, she had help. These people, the ones who saved her, became her friends in the lonely city. They treated her like they knew her for years. Whenever they were not on duty, since they were a part of the law enforcement, they would take her out to eat or explore the city. It was nice having such great company at the time she needed it the most.

Still, as much as she liked being with them, Kanata knew this place was not her home. She wanted to go back to where she really belonged: Alongside her husband, Sojiro, and her daughter, Konata, who she hasn't seen in years. Kanata still couldn't believe she was alive. It was just like Kishor said before: An angel must have been watching over her.

"By the way, where is Stennin? I thought he said he was coming..." Elaine asked.

"He said he had some errands to run first." Viluke told her.

Ravi Stennin. The boss of this group. Kanata became more acquainted with the man as he aided her during the conviction of criminals. The man was balanced between being serious and acting friendly. He could change personalities within seconds which she soon discovered throughout the times they have had to work alongside each other during the trials whenever he was needed for direct intervention in the court.

The men were sentenced, obviously found guilty with evidence and testimony. They would not be getting out of prison for a long time. Except for the one man named 'Reynold' who had a shorter sentence time than the others. Ravi probably made a deal with him to testify against his own friends. At any rate, their evil did not go unpunished.

Now all that was left to do was go home. Which was pretty much impossible at this point. The government paid only for her accommodations and food, but anything beyond that, she had to get on her own. That meant getting a job; something she has never done in years. While she was glad to be alive after all these years, it killed her inside knowing she still wouldn't be able to see her family any time soon.

"What's on your mind, Miss Kanata?"

Turning her attention to the voice, she saw that it was Sig who was now sitting alongside her. Looking over to the other three, she saw that Viluke and Kishor were playing their card game with Elaine watching them.

"Just thinking..." She said, returning her eyes back up to the sky.

"You know we're always here to lend an ear if you need one..." He said.

Kanata's smile resurfaced again. These people were so kind to her.

"I was just thinking about how long I've been here...Everything that was stopping me from going home is now out of the way and yet...I still can't go." She said, her smile turning wry.

"I see...The system pays for your apartment, but they can't afford you a ticket back to Kasukabe."

She nodded her head.

"That's unfortunate, but don't lose hope."

Kanata looked at Sig.

"That's what we humans are best at. We're always down on our luck, but we keep on going. Our greatest strength is our tenacity. So...Keep your head up, Kanata. You look better with a smile of happiness and hope on your face than one filled with pain and sorrow."

"He's right, ya know."

She looked to see Elaine, Viluke, and Kishor staring at the two with smiles on their faces.

"In our line of work, we have to stay strong to save and protect the lives of the innocent." Elaine said.

"It's not always easy because the things we see aren't meant to be seen everyday as a normal occurrence." Viluke continued.

"But we do what we have to do. We keep going...no matter what." Kishor finished with his signature grin and thumbs up.

Sig got up and stood alongside his friends, looking down at Kanata.

"That's what you have to do too, Miss Kanata. Be strong, not just for yourself, but for your family as well. And if you think you're alone, you are terribly wrong."

He extended his hand out towards her.

"If you ever feel a moment of waver or hesitation, remember us. Remember that we're here for you...Miss Kanata."

Kanata could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she took his hand and was pulled up on her feet. What did she deserve to receive such kindness from these people who she barely knew personally?

"I hope I'm not interrupting, but what's going on here?"

Everyone turned to see Ravi Stennin standing with his arms crossed and a gentle smile at the scene unfolded before him.

"Captain Stennin!"

"Asgrimur, Draggarh, front and center." He ordered.

The two quickly moved and stood at attention in front of Ravi.

"Miss Kanata?" He leaned to the side see the petite, long-haired woman. "Would you kindly stand in front of them?"

"U-um...Okay..." She nodded her head, wondering what was going on as she wiped the water off her eyes.

Standing in front of Kishor and Sig who were still as a pencil.

"Miss Kanata, for the past few months, you were kept in this city for several reasons. One, your records in the health department had to be re-updated due to being filed as deceased. Two, you were crucial testimony in convicting the serial killer Andou Faralon and your kidnappers who took you away from your family. And finally three, coming back to society amongst people."

Ravi reached into his pockets and pulled out three pieces of paper. But they weren't any just any ordinary paper pieces...

"These are train tickets on the next stop to Kasukabe, Saitama."

Kanata gasped, widening her eyes as the water that had disappeared from her eyes resurfaced. She knew what this meant...

"Congratulations, Miss Kanata...You're going home."

* * *

><p>I pulled this out of my arse. But at least it was better than having no chapter at all! Like I've said before, there will be another time for a revision...later. Now, back to business. I'd like to take this time to thank my reviewers who were kind enough to give my story a chance despite the amount of original characters in here. These people are:<p>

Konata Fan

NoZones

Flygon Master

Gonstika

You guys are incredibly awesome, I love ya'll. See you next time.


	8. Going Home

The streets of Kasukabe were covered in a sheet of snow. Winter had arrived and because of it, the sidewalks were not as crowded as they usually were. Regardless, Yui was glad to have the change of weather. She loved the summer heat like anyone else, but when it became overbearing, she preferred the cold season. That, and it made patrolling much more easier without being harassed by people.

Ever since the robbery incident, Yui became recognized by citizens as some sort of hero and to colleagues, a role model to the rookies in the force. For once in her life, she knew what it was like to be a star...and it was not her style. The only good thing that came out of it was that her husband returned from his business trip. But not because he was finished with his job. He came back because he had been worried about her when he received a message from one of his friends in the city that told him what happened.

During their time together, the fire that bonded them together in marriage burned stronger than ever. Kiyotaka would always be on long business trips, leaving her alone. Yui often worried about him, wondering if he ever thought about her as much as she did. She had also been a little scared that he might have been...cheating on her for another woman.

It turns out, Kiyotaka had also been thinking the same things she was thinking. He worried that one day, he would find her in bed with another man or even file a divorce paper on him. It made her heart flutter like a young school girl falling in love knowing that they were on the same wavelength. Now she was more sure than ever their marriage would last, knowing they would never do anything unfaithful to the other.

_I hope Nanako finds her special somebody one day too..._ She thought about her blond haired friend, looking up at the sky. _I already know I have._

**Good for you.**

Yui's body tensed as she looked around.

_That voice!_

She looked down at the pendant around her neck. Yui could never forget that mysterious little angel...and what he did for her.

**There's just one last thing you have to do.**

Yui shield her eyes from the bright light in front of her. When it disappeared, she saw the child with wings standing before her, only he was transparent, like a ghost.

"You..."

The boy hid his hands behind his back and gave her that lovely smile like once before. Then he turned around and ran.

"H-hey! Wait!"

She followed after the boy. Though they had only met for a brief time, now that she was no longer in a crisis, she wondered who this mysterious kid was.

Yui found herself at the train station, where it was surprisingly empty.

_"Attention. The train will be arriving at the station shortly. Please stay away from the edge until the train comes to a complete stop. Thank you."_ The intercom announced.

**Your final task will arrive in that train.**

The child reappeared in front of her again.

**This will be the last time we see each other again.**

"Last...time?" A heavy sadness washed over her.

He nodded his head. The pendant around her neck began to glow. Suddenly, it shattered, but instead of being hit by the shards of the jewelry, nothing happened.

**Farewell.**

Just like that, he was gone...for good. Yui shook her head. Even though she didn't have a chance to really know who the kid was, she was glad to have met him for the second chance he gave her. She would never forget until the day she died.

_Goodbye, stranger...and thank you._

She watched as the train came in to dock. Whatever this task was, Yui would complete it. She owed the mysterious boy that much. When the train finally came to a complete stop, the doors slid open. Two men stepped out of the train.

"Man, that was a long trip, but we're here!" One of them said, stretching out his arms.

"Kasukabe, Saitama..." The other spoke quietly, looking around, and then finally noticing her.

"I'm here...I'm finally here. I can't believe it."

Yui's eyes widened at the last voice.

_No way! It couldn't be!_

"Right where you belong."

Standing between the two men was a person she expected to see after her life's end and yet here she was, back after so many years. And looking the same as she did in the photographs.

"Y-Yui!"

Yui was tackled into an embrace by the woman.

"It's been too long!"

"Yes...yes it has..."

She hugged the person tightly in her arms, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Welcome home...Kanata."

* * *

><p>Shortest. Chapter. Ever.<p>

The last one? It will definitely not be.

I'll see you next time.


	9. One Last Thing

_"What the fuck! Everything here is worthless!"_

_"So we just broke into this house for nothing?"_

_Sojiro laid rigid on the hardwood floor of his living room, holding his stomach after being winded in the gut from his attackers. They stormed in the house so fast that he barely had any time to react at all. He looked up at Kanata who was being held by one of the men wearing a mask over their face. Her eyes silently pleaded for help._

_"Not one of our greatest thefts." One man commented, keeping an eye outside the window._

_"Shut up, Reynold!" _

_"Come on, we don't have all day here. Lights are already starting to pop up from the neighboring houses. Won't be long before the the cops show up!" Reynold said._

_The leader of the group crossed his arms, looking at Sojiro, and then back at Kanata. Suddenly, an evil smirk formed on his face. _

_"Since he has nothing worth stealing, we'll just have to take his wife as compensation."_

_That's when Kanata screamed out, only to be muffled by the man holding her, covering her mouth with his other hand._

_"Get her in the car." _

_As Kanata began to be led away, she bit down on the man's finger._

_"Fuckin' whore!" The man cursed loudly, only to be headbutted up the chin._

_"Soji, help!" She cried out, only to be silenced again as she was dragged off forcefully._

_"KANATA!"_

_Adrenaline pumped throughout his entire body as he thought of nothing but saving his love. He tackled one man into the ground, swinging his fists at his face repeatedly._

_"You son of a bitch!"_

_Another man came up from behind, wrapping his arms around Sojiro's neck, attempting to choke him to death. Gasping, he instinctly elbowed the man in the rib, breaking free before turning around and decking the other man in the face._

_**WHAM!**_

_Sojiro fell to the floor, rolling over only to see a pipe smacking him right across the face. Soon, the other two recovered and joined in beating the daylights out of him._

_"You should have just stayed on the floor! This is what you get for being a hero, asshole!" Reynold shouted at him, hitting him with the pipe to the point where it began to dent._

_Every hit hurted worst than the last and he felt like his bones were breaking, but he didn't want to give them the enjoyment of hearing him screaming out in pain so he held it in. Then the sounds of police siren in the distance caused them to cease their vicious beating on him._

_"Shit, we wasted enough time. Let's go." _

_They fled, leaving him bleeding and brusied to the point where he wished he would rather be dead than feeling like this._

_"Kanata..."_

_He crawled his way over to the front door, grunting with each push forward. When he finally made it to the doorway, the four men were still having trouble getting Kanata into the car. _

_"Get in the fucking car, already!" One of them shouted in frustration before finally knocking her out with one swift punch._

_"B-bastard..." Sojiro spat out, coughing blood._

_They got into their car, driving off, leaving Sojiro physically and emotionally destroyed._

_"Come...back..."_

* * *

><p>Sojiro bolted awake with a cold sweat as he looked around. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw he was still in his living room. Rubbing his face in his hands, he shook his head.<p>

_That dream...I haven't had that one in years._

Getting up, he walked over to a shelf holding photos of him and Kanata. Despite that fateful night, the pictures remained relatively unharmed, even when those robbers had thrashed every part of the house, even Konata's room, to find something valuable to take. When they couldn't find anything, they settled taking something that could never be replaced with money: His lover.

He did his best to raise their child by himself. Konata grew up to look just like her mother, only to have his gaming habit and his mole. Despite her eccentric personality, Konata managed to find a group of friends who accepted her for who she was, something he never found as a kid himself. He was glad she didn't grow up to be exactly like him, where the only one who truly cared about his being was only Kanata...and his games.

As much as he didn't want to believe it, he had to accept the fact that she was gone. Though the cops never found the thieves nor her corpse, he arranged a coffin in a cemetery in case her body was ever found.

_Kanata...Our daughter is all grown up...She's not the perfect girl..._

A tear made its way down his cheek as he stared at the photo of when he and Kanata first held their baby daughter...together.

_But she's __**our**__ girl...I wished you were here to see her..._

* * *

><p>At the Washinomiya Shrine, a boy stood in front of the offering box. He chuckled, shaking his head before walking away with a content smile on his face.<p>

"Wish granted."

* * *

><p><em>I miss you, Kanata.<em>

The sound of someone knocking on the door took him right out of his thoughts. He wondered who it could have been. Konata and Yutaka went to hang out with their friends, so it was very unlikely it was them.

"I'll be right there!" He said, walking out of the living room to the front door.

Opening it, he saw two men standing in front of him.

"Hello? How can I help you?" He asked, wary of who these people were.

"Hi, I'm Kishor Draggarh and that's my buddy Sig Asgrimur." One of them introduced themselves. "We heard you were missing a wife in your life. Here you go!"

"What?"

The two stepped aside. What, or better yet, who he saw, blew his mind. Standing next to his niece Yui was none other than...

"Kanata!"

"Soji!"

They ran towards each other and hugged as if their lives depended on it.

"This isn't a dream...please tell me this isn't a dream..." Sojiro pleaded, tears rushing down his face.

"It's not...I'm real..."

The two pulled away for a moment to look each other in the eye. He caressed his hands on her cheeks. This wasn't a hallucination. She was real. She was here. She was back. He pulled her in once more and pressed his lips into hers. Kanata returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. Eventually, they separated for air, panting for breath when they did, but they never stopped looking into each others eyes.

"I've missed you." He whispered softly.

"Me too." She said.

"But there's someone else who misses you even more, Miss Kanata."

Everyone turned their eyes to Sig, who finally spoke.

"And I don't think we should keep her waiting any longer, don't you agree?"

They all nodded their heads.

"Well then..." Sig turned to Kishor who pumped his fists up high into the air.

"Let's not keep Konata waiting! Let's go!"

* * *

><p>This series is coming to a close. It took awhile, but I made it. I couldn't have done it without my devoted readers and reviewers. Thank you all.<p>

I will see you all at the finale next chapter!


	10. Closure

Miyuki and Konata sat in awkward silence. Here they were at the local ramen shop, waiting for their bowls. Aside from the cook and owner of the restaurant, the pair were the only ones present in the area. Kagami and Tsukasa had left after being called by their parents. So now it was just the two of them.

Ever since that day at the Washinomiya Shrine, she could never look at her blue-haired friend the same way she did once before. She always used to think that Konata was just an eccentric, but cheerful person who never let anything get her down. That perspective shattered when she saw a much more emotional side of her. A side that not even Kagami, Tsukasa, or any other of her friends have ever seen. That made Miyuki the first.

Today, the group had hung out together at the mall. Konata acted like she normally did when they were together. Making references to her anime shows and games while teasing Kagami from time to time. Just being her 'mask' as Konata had said previously. When the two left, Miyuki had planned on leaving too, but Konata had suddenly asked her if they she would come with her somewhere. Her other personality had revealed itself to her again for the second time. Miyuki obliged her request and now here they were.

"So, um..."

Miyuki looked at Konata who finally began to speak. She was nervous, that much was obvious.

"Ugh, I'm no good at this..." Konata shook her head and sighed. "Where do I begin?"

The question didn't seem like it was directed at her, but more at herself. Konata was in a conflict with herself, or so it seemed, and she was speaking it out loud to let Miyuki know it. Like she was prompting her to say something. So Miyuki did.

"Begin what, Izumi?" Miyuki asked.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...Still..." Konata rambled on, but eventually turned to her. "Uhh, well...I had something I wanted to talk to you about..."

She pulled out a key holder which had the shape of a cat on it. Konata extended it to her.

"I want you to have this..."

Miyuki took the small animal key chain and stared at it. What was this gift for?

"I buy a lot of things: Animes, manga, and games. But I was never attached to those things as much as this." Konata continued, smiling softly as she stared at the key holder.

_So there's a significant value to this..._ Miyuki deducted, looking back at Konata, remaining quiet.

"Dad told me that this was what my mother wanted to give to me as a gift once I grew old enough..."

Miyuki widened her eyes a little. That meant she has been holding onto this since she was a child. This small little object has been with Konata for years! Why would she give something so valuable to her?

"I've been holding onto these for a long time. Every day, I hoped she would one day return. But then I realized something..."

Konata chuckled with little enthusiasm in it as she grimaced.

"I was holding onto the past. I refused to accept the fact that she was gone forever. But now after letting it out my secret to you, Miyuki, I feel like I can move on now..."

She smiled at Miyuki and she could feel the resolve in her eyes.

"I'm going to go see my mother's grave tomorrow...even if her body isn't there. I plan to make peace with myself and her."

Konata went silent for a minute, closing her eyes. Then she opened them, nodding her head as if coming to a conclusion.

"It's not going to be easy...Even now, I still sorta feel like a chicken...But if you hold onto those for me, It'll be like you got my back for it. That way, I can have the guts to see my mother off."

Miyuki noticed Konata's hands had been trembling the whole time. There was no doubt in her mind that it took Konata a lot of courage to tell her all this. Miyuki clasped the key chain in her hand.

"All right..." She simply said. What else could she say, really?

"Thanks." Konata nodded her head.

Another pause came before Konata scratched the back of her head.

"Hey, listen...If anything's bothering you, you can come talk to me too, all right?" Konata said. "You listened to me, so it's only fair I do the same."

Konata grinned, giving Miyuki a thumbs up.

"Don't forget that...Okay?"

"I won't."

Their bowls came before another moment of quietness set in. This time, it was comfortable. The tension in the air felt gone and Miyuki felt like she accomplished something great in helping her friend. Even if it had been only listening. But perhaps that was what Konata needed all along. An ear to listen and for that, she earned Konata's gratitude and loyalty.

"You know, I'm glad that happened." Konata stopped eating to speak again. "I feel like I can change for the better now and if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have that confidence, so...thanks."

She laughed nervously, and Miyuki saw another full blown blush on her blue haired friend's face.

"Geez...Listen to me, going on like that." She scratched the back of her head, looking away bashfully. "C'mon, let's eat! Don't worry about the cost, it's all on me, Miyuki!"

* * *

><p>"Oh man, I am stuffed."<p>

Miyuki giggled at Konata who laid her head on the counter.

"That's because you ate five bowls, Konata." She said.

Konata looked up at Miyuki.

"You called me by my first name again..." She pointed out, smiling at her.

"Oh? I guess I'll just have to get used to calling you Konata then." Miyuki answered, shrugging her arms while smiling back at the girl.

The sound of the door chimes made the two turn their heads.

"Welcome!" The shop owner greeted.

Standing at doorway was Yui Narumi accompanied by two other men.

"Cousin Yui!" Konata exclaimed, slightly shocked to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, that's not important right now." Yui waved off the question. "I think these two know you, Konata."

The three walked over to Konata and Miyuki.

"Is that really you, Konata?" One of the men asked.

"Um, yeah I guess so...Who are you?" Konata asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Well, introductions first, I suppose, even though we are guild mates." The other man spoke in a calm, straightforward manner. "I am Sig Asgrimur and that's Kishor Draggarh. Do we ring a bell yet?"

Konata gasped in shock, staring at them in disbelief.

"No way!"

"Yes way!" Kishor retorted, pouting. "We fought that golden gargoyle in disguise and whooped its sorry butt to kingdom come! I thought for sure you would remember us!"

"Well, Kishor, it's not like you can blame her. We did say we lived far away..." Sig reasoned.

"What are you guys doing here? Did you guys come all this way to visit me?" Konata asked.

"Yes we did!" Kishor nodded his head. "Let's say we were given the opportunity and took it."

"And here we are." Sig finished for Kishor. "We know that you're graduating soon and we probably won't be able to visit you like this ever again. So, we brung a gift."

"Seriously? Sweet! Where is it?" Konata asked, standing up from her seat in a flash.

Sig and Kishor looked at each other and nodded their heads.

"Right outside!" Kishor shouted loudly.

The door opened. Walking in was her father...

But he wasn't alone.

...

...

...

...

"Mom?"

In those few moments, everything happened so fast. Kanata braced herself for the biggest hug and she returned it with just as much force. Tears were shed and Konata's muffled sobbing filled the room.

"You came back! It's really you!" Konata wailed through her sobbing. "You're really here!"

"Yes...I'm right where I belong...with you, Konata." Kanata whispered soothingly as she rubbed the back of her daughter's head for the first time in years.

"I think this calls for a picture to commemorate this moment!" Yui shouted, pulling out a camera. She turned to the owner of the restaurant who had been standing there with a smile on his face. "Sir, could you take a photo for us? We would appreciate it."

"Of course." The man simply answered, taking the camera. "It would be my honor."

"Great. Thanks."

Konata pulled back and smiled despite the tears that continued to flow down her cheeks. Everyone gathered around Kanata and her. Miyuki stood closest to her while Sig and Kishor stood at opposite ends with the whole family hunched in the middle. They turned to face the man holding the camera.

"Konata?" Miyuki spoke, still staring in the direction of the man who began counting down with his fingers before he shot the photo.

"Yeah?" Konata kept on looking forward.

Miyuki grinned and held out the key chain.

"Looks like you found your missing piece..."

_**Fin.**_

* * *

><p>And so we conclude our journey. It's been a pleasure to see this through to the end. I'm sad to see it go, but all things must come to an end. But hey! You know what they say...<p>

The end of one tale is the beginning of a whole new other!

Thank you all for taking the time to read this for what it's worth. I will see you all in another story!

Goodbye!


End file.
